Cat Calorie Calculator
Work out how many calories your cat needs each day from its weight, age and lifestyle, then see how many cups of dry food or cans of wet food that is.
Loading Cat Calorie Calculator…
Your files never leave your device
How many calories should a cat eat?
How many calories should a cat eat? This cat calorie calculator answers it from your cat's weight and lifestyle. Type the weight in pounds or kilograms, choose neutered, intact, indoor, kitten or weight loss, and it shows the daily calories in kcal. Add the calories printed on the food and it also tells you how many cups of dry food or cans of wet food to give. A typical 10 lb neutered indoor cat needs roughly 260 to 300 kcal a day.
How to use the cat calorie calculator
- Enter your cat's weight and switch between lb and kg if you need to.
- Choose the option that fits: neutered adult, intact adult, inactive, kitten or weight loss.
- For weight loss, enter the ideal weight your vet gave you.
- Add the kcal per cup of the dry food or the kcal per can of the wet food (both optional).
- Read the calories per day and the amount of food.
The formula behind it
Cats and dogs share the same resting energy equation: RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75. RER is the energy a cat uses while resting. A life stage factor then turns it into the daily need. Cats get lower factors than dogs, and the values below come from the 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines:
| Your cat | Factor × RER |
|---|---|
| Neutered or spayed adult | 1.2 to 1.4 |
| Intact adult | 1.4 to 1.6 |
| Inactive or prone to weight gain | 1.0 |
| Weight loss (on ideal weight) | 0.8 |
| Growing kitten | 2.5 |
Example: a 10 lb cat weighs 4.5 kg, so RER = 70 × 4.5^0.75 = 218 kcal. Spayed or neutered, it needs 218 × 1.2 = 261 to 218 × 1.4 = 305 kcal a day, and the calculator shows the middle, about 283 kcal.
Calories per day for adult cats by weight
| Cat weight | RER | Neutered (× 1.2 to 1.4) | Inactive (× 1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 lb (2.7 kg) | 148 kcal | 178 to 208 kcal | 148 kcal |
| 8 lb (3.6 kg) | 184 kcal | 221 to 258 kcal | 184 kcal |
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 218 kcal | 261 to 305 kcal | 218 kcal |
| 12 lb (5.4 kg) | 249 kcal | 299 to 349 kcal | 249 kcal |
| 14 lb (6.4 kg) | 280 kcal | 336 to 392 kcal | 280 kcal |
Dry food, wet food or both
Look for the calorie statement on the label: kcal per cup on dry food and kcal per can or pouch on wet food. If you feed both, give part of the daily calories as wet food and the rest as dry. Example: a cat that needs 250 kcal gets one 3 oz can with 80 kcal, which leaves 170 kcal of dry food. At 400 kcal per cup that is a little under half a cup.
Tips for a healthy weight
- Indoor cats often move less than the formula expects. The AAHA guidelines note that sedentary or indoor pets may need fewer calories, so check the weight every few weeks.
- Measure dry food with a kitchen scale or a real measuring cup.
- Treats add up quickly for a small animal: count them in the daily total.
- Never put a cat on a crash diet. Weight loss should be slow and planned with your vet, because cats that stop eating can get seriously ill.
Not a substitute for your vet. Kittens, pregnant or nursing cats, seniors and cats with kidney disease, diabetes or other conditions need a feeding plan from a veterinarian.
Features
- Resting energy formula used by vets: 70 × kg^0.75
- Cat factors from the 2021 AAHA guidelines
- Pounds or kilograms
- Neutered, intact, indoor, kitten and weight loss options
- Cups of dry food and cans of wet food per day
- Private: nothing leaves your browser
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should a cat eat a day?
Most spayed or neutered adult cats need 1.2 to 1.4 times their resting energy, where resting energy is 70 × weight in kg^0.75. For a 10 lb (4.5 kg) cat that is about 261 to 305 kcal a day.
How many calories should an indoor cat eat?
Indoor cats that are not very active are often closer to 1.0 times their resting energy. A 10 lb indoor cat that gains weight easily may only need about 218 kcal a day. Weigh your cat regularly and adjust.
How many calories does a kitten need?
The AAHA guidelines use 2.5 times the resting energy for growing kittens. A 4 lb (1.8 kg) kitten has an RER of about 109 kcal, so it needs roughly 270 kcal a day. Recalculate as it grows.
How many calories should a cat eat to lose weight?
For weight loss the AAHA factor for cats is 0.8 times the resting energy of the ideal weight. A cat with an ideal weight of 9 lb would get about 161 kcal a day. Plan any diet with your vet, because fast weight loss is dangerous for cats.
How do I know how much wet or dry food to feed?
Divide the daily calories by the kcal per cup of dry food or kcal per can of wet food shown on the label. The calculator does both when you enter those numbers.
Can this calculator replace advice from my vet?
No. It is a starting estimate based on published veterinary formulas, and individual cats differ. It is free, needs no account and runs in your browser, so the details you enter are never sent to a server.